Government & Regulatory Affairs in Chile

Essentials guide · Source-checked research53% of statements checked against a source6 checked against an official source22 checked against a secondary sourceChecked 2026-10-198 held back until checked against an official source9 topics include AI-written statements, not source-checkedNot yet professionally reviewed

• Law 20.848, Chile's framework law for foreign direct investment, subjects foreign investors to the same legal regime as domestic investors and prohibits direct or indirect discrimination against them; InvestChile administers it and issues foreign investor certificates.

  Foreign direct investment under the law means a transfer of USD 5 million or more. Contracts signed under the former foreign investment statute (DL 600) before 1 January 2016 keep their rights and obligations.InvestChile (Agencia de Promoción de la Inversión Extranjera) · checked 2026-10-19

• Anyone starting a commercial activity must pay a municipal commercial licence (patente municipal) to the municipality concerned, set at between 0.25% and 0.5% of taxable equity, with a minimum of 1 UTM and a maximum of 8,000 UTM a year.

  Businesses established after 31 December pay 50% for that year.Cuatrecasas · checked 2026-10-19

• Lithium is a non-concessible mineral reserved to the state, so private participation requires agreements with the state or state companies.

  Lithium exploration and production.AI-written, not source-checked

• Public procurement is conducted through the Mercado Público platform administered by ChileCompra.

  Central government and most public bodies.AI-written, not source-checked

• Foreign and domestic investors are generally treated equally, but real estate and land in border zones is an exception.

  The source does not detail which nationalities or areas the border-zone restrictions affect.Cuatrecasas · checked 2026-10-19

Read the full guide: Entry, investment and company formation · Licensing, incentives and property · Deals, competition and restructuring